Disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray



May 10, 1966 R. J. JONES DISPOSABLE COMBINATION ANTERIOR BITE REGISTRATION AND IMPRESSION TRAY Filed Dec. 15, 1963 IN VENTOR.

f 4770/?NEK FIG. 3 is a side elevation of United States Patent DISPOSABLE COMBINATION ANTERIOR BITE REGISTRATION AND IMPRESSION TRAY Russell J. Jones, 13804 Lake Shore Drive, Bratenahl, Ohio Filed Dec. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 330,315 9 Claims. (CI. 32-19) This invention relates to a disposable tray on which dental impression material, such as eugenol paste and other impression pastes commonly employed for taking dental impressions of the edentulous area of the dental arch, can be supported and manipulated in a manner such that a bite registration of the anterior teeth and cuspids and impressions of their labial surfaces can be taken concurrently.

-More specifically, the invention relates to a disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray by which completely accurate impressions can be taken of:

(a). the incisal edges of the upper and lower teeth as they are brought into contact in centric occlusion, regardless of the amount of overject and the amount and steep.- ness of overbite, and, concurrently,

(b) the entire labial surfaces of all of the anterior teeth and cuspids of one jaw and at least half of the labial surfaces, beginning at the edges of the teeth and extending toward the gums, of all the anterior teeth and cuspids of the opposing jaw.

The tray is one which can be made to conform readily to the mouth of the particular patient, because the labial walls of'the tray are flexible so as not to restrict the undercut areas and make it easy to remove the tray and impression from the mouth. I

The tray is inexpensive and disposable, and can be removed easily from the set impression material.

Various advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, wherein reference is made to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which: I

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a tray embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. '2 is a front elevation of the tray illustrated in FIG. vl;

the tray illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the tray taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1, showing the paste there- FIG. is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the tray thereof at the completion of the impression taking operation, the teeth and gums being indicated in dotted lines; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIG.

4, illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the tray, indicated generally at 1, comprises a labial wall 2 which is curvilinear about an axis of curvature extending in the direction of the height of the wall and which axis, in the position in which the tray is used and as illustrated in the drawings, is generally upright. The labial wall 2 has a forward or front central portion 3 to which is secured a handle 4 for holding and manipulating the tray, as when inserting it in the mouth of the patient and pressing it toward the labial surfaces of the anterior teeth.

The labial wall 2 has laterally spaced rear end portions 5 and an upper portion 6 and lower portion.7., In the form illustrated, these two portions are separately formed and connected together by basal flanges 8, though the frame may be a molded unitary structure.

The upper edge of the upper portion 6 is higher at the central portion -3 than at the rear end 'portions 5, and

3,250,004 Patented May 10, 1966 extends horizontally partway from the forward midportion of the wall 2 partway toward the rear ends and then is curved downwardly gradually part way of its length, and then levels off as it merges with the upper edges of the rear end portions 5. This specific contour of this upper edge may be varied, if desired, but has been found satisfactory'for most types of mouths.

This upper portion 6 is such that it can be placed between the lips and the labial surfaces of the anterior teeth of either jaw and provide a front buttress or retainer for holding in position the impression material supported by the tray and for pressing the material rearwardly in the mouth against the anterior labial surfaces as the bite impression is being taken.

The front of the lower portion 7 of the wall 2 is of less height from its base to its lower edge than is the front of the upper portion 6, and may be of constant height, if desired, throughout its length. This portion is designed to be placed between the lips and the lower anterior teeth when a bite impression is being taken together with the impression of the labial surfaces of the upper anterior teeth. It assists in holding the material and pressing it against the labial surfaces of the lower anterior teeth'for taking an impression of the upper half of the labial surface of the lower anterior teeth.

When the anterior bite and a full upper labial impression are to be taken, the upper portion 6 is disposed u-pwardly. When the bite and full lower labial impression is to be taken, the tray is inverted and the portion 6 is disposed downwardly.

For supporting the impression material at the rear face of the wall 2, a sheet 9 of supporting material is connected to the wall 2 and supported thereby generally in a plane normal to the axis of curvature, or horizontally in the position of the tray illustrated. The sheet 9 is dis posed at the base of the upper portion 6 of the labial wall 2 and is connected to the wall 2. Preferably it is so connected only to the rear end portions 5. It extends forwardly from a line connecting its rearrnost points of connection to the portions 3, respectively, forwardly generally to the rear face of the forward portion of the wall 2, or farther, as is hereinafter described. Thus the sheet 9, at the rear of the wall 2, is coextensive with the space between said line and the rear face of the wall 2.

For some purposes the sheet 9 may be fastened to the wall 2 at the front and side portions, as well as at the rear portions 5. However, especially in the case of substantial or severe overjet or overbite it is desirable to have the sheet 9 connected fixedly to the rear portions 5 of the wall 2 and of sufficient dimension to extend forwardly of the forward wall, the forward portion 9a being unconnected to the wall 2 and thus free to feed back rearwardly when pulled by closure of the teeth on the portion behind the wall 2. This is so that sheet material is present to compensate for the increase in length of the sheet material required at the rear of the wall 2 due to the change in contour of the sheet by the teeth. Thus the danger of tearing or piercing the sheet is substantially eliminated. Thisfeed back is especially desirable when the bite impression includes the incisors or when there is a substantial or severe overjet or overbite. In the latter case, a very substantial amount of the additional sheet material is drawn back.

To this end, the sheet 9 is not connected to the wall 2 at the forward central portion. Instead a slot 10 is provided between the upper and lower portions 6 and 7 of the wall 7 at the forward central portion and extends the entire length of the forward portion and to within about one-half inch of the rear ends of the wall. The sheet 9 extends through this slot and for about a quarter inch forwardly of the front face of the wall 2, as indicated at 9a. The sheet is connected only to the rear end portions 5 for about one-half inch forwardly from the rear ends. It is held in the slot with only sufficient resistance to slip to prevent its sagging under the weight of the impression material so that it can be pulled back by the teeth, upon their closure, without imposing an appreciable stress.

\Further, in the form illustrated, the handle 4 is shown as having flanges 12 which are fastened one to the upper portion 6 and one to the lower portion 7 of the wall 2, preferably straddling the basal flanges 8 and being open between the upper and lower portions so as to accommodate the forwardly extending portion 9a of the sheet.

The tray is preferably formed of waterproof paper. Whatever material is used, it should be self-supporting, suificiently bendable or flexible laterally so that it can be widened or pressed in at the rear portions 5. If it is to be widened, the sheet 9 can be slit from its rear edge forwardly a short distance to permit such widening. The frame preferably exerts a very slight tension on the sheet 9 laterally of the frame, between the rear portions 5.

Paper has a distinct advantage in that it can be broken off readily from the hardened set impression material and subsequent casting. In those rare cases in which it does not break'loose readily, it can be soaked loose without damaging the impression.

If desired, bot-h the upper wall portion 6 and the lower wall portion 7 can be formed of the legs of an H-shaped 'piece of stiff paper, the cross bar of the H being bent midway between its ends and the portions at each side of the bend folded almost upon themselves to provide the handle 4 and to dispose the two wall portions 6 and 7 in position in which they can be bent and juxtapositioned edgewise wtih each other and formed to curvilinear shape.

However, if desired, the upper and lower wall portions can be molded in one piece to a cross section such as illustrated in FIG. 6, in which the labial wall. is thicker in cross-section forwardly and rearwardly adjacent the plane of the sheet of material and tapers gradually toward the upper edge and lower edges, thus giving a greater strength at the point of most severe stress without interfering with the fit of the tray in the mouth. As described in my US. Letters Patent No. 2,713,202, of July 1-9, 1955, the sheet material is preferably a piece .of thin, soft, flexible, open mesh, organic material which may be molded or woven to provide a fabric, for example, a material approximating very lightweight gauze, or mosquito netting. The material is preferably light woven net having a relatively large mesh in relation to the cross section of its strands and preferably is so thin that it does not interfere in any manner with the movement of the impression material during the taking of a bite impression. Furthermore, it offers no resistance to the closure of the teeth and can conform readily with negligible resistance to the contour of the occluding surfaces of the upper and lower teeth.

It is desirable that the front portion of the upper portion 6 of the wall 2 be of greater height than the lower portion 7, measured from the plane of the sheet 9. This is to obtain a full labial impression of the anterior surfaces of the teeth of the jaw associated with the portion 6, and an impression of the labial surfaces of the anterior teeth of the other jaw only for about one-half of the distance from their edges toward the gums. If both are full impressions, problems are presented in removing the tray after the impression is taken.

To take an impression, therefore, all that is necessary 'is to place the impression material or paste on the upper The tray is then inserted in the mouth, rear end first, so that the wall portion 6 is disposed between the lip and the anterior teeth of which the entire labial surface impression is to be taken, and so that the portion 7 is disposed between the other lip and the labial surfaces of the anterior teeth of the other jaw, of which an impression of only about half of the height of the labial surface from the edge toward the gum is to be taken.

The patient thereupon closes the teeth as the tray is pressed gently rearwardly by the dentist, thereby causing the paste to take the desired labial impressions. This pressure can be discontinued as the teeth closely approach closed position.

Upon final closure, the bite impression is added to the labial impressions. This condition of the tray and impression material is illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein a bite impression of the teeth and the full labial impression of the anterior teeth of the upper jaw are being taken, the teeth being indicated in fully closed position. As to FIG. 5, it is noted that the labial impression of the upper teeth extends entirely to the upper gum G. The labial impression of the lower teeth is of the upper half only and does not usually reach the lower gum G, though it can be made to do so, if required in some particular case. The sheet material 9 has flexed and conformed to the required new contour, much of the portion 9a having been pulled to the rear of the wall 2.

Because of the flexibility and in most instances, the feed back, of the sheet material 9 there is no appreciable pressure or tension imposed on the teeth during closure.

Thus a bit impression can be obtained without piercing the gauze or sheet 9. When the impression has been taken, the tray is removed. After use for its normal pur pose of casting, it is disposed of.

' and lower surfaces of the sheet 9, filling the space at the Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray comprising a one piece frame including an elongated labial wall curvilinear about an axis of curvature extending in the direction of the height of the wall and having its concave face facing rearwardly, said wall being of self-supporting material, and having rear end portions which are spaced from each other in a plane normal to said axis, said wall being sufliciently flexible laterally so that its rear portions can be moved outwardly away from each other and inwardly toward each other, selectively, and thereby made to conform readily to the mouth of a patient, a sheet of soft, flexible, organic, open mesh material permanently connected to said rear end portions and, in said plane being at least coextensive with the space defined by the concave face of the labial wall and a line which joins the rearmost points of connection of the open mesh material with the rear end portions of the wall, and said tray being free from lingual and buccal walls.

2. A disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray according to claim 1 wherein the open mesh material is fixedly connected to each rear end portion along a substantial part of the length of the rear end portion extending from said line forwardly.

3. A disposable combination anterior bit registration and impression tray according to claim 2 wherein said open mesh material has a portion which extends forwardly beyond a midportion of the labial wall, means on the tray supporting the open mesh material forwardly from said connections for slipping movement rearwardly of the labial wall, whereby said portion of the open mesh material can be pulled rearwardly into said space behind said wall by colsure of the teeth.

4. A disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray according to claim 1 wherein said elongated labial wall is of substantially uniform height at its forward midportion and its upper edge is convergent relative to the plane of said open mesh material partway from the midportion toward the rear end portions.

5. A disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tr-ay according to claim 1 wherein the elongated labial wall has an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion of substantially the same curvature about said axis and aligned endwise with each, other and extending edgewise from the plane of said open mesh material ina direction opposite from said upper labial wall portion.

6. A disposable combination anterior bit registration and impression tray according to claims 5 wherein the front portion of one of said wall portions is of less height than the front portion of the other of said wall portions.

7. A disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray according to claim 5 wherein said labial wall portions are individual elements, and the open mesh material extends between adjacent edges thereof.

'8. A disposable combination anterior bite registration and impression tray according to claim 5 wherein a passage is provided between the adjacent edges of said upper and lower labial wall portions at the fonward midportion of said wall portions, and part of the open mesh material extends through said passage forwardly beyond the wall portions and is held in said passage so that it can slip readily rearwardly of the wall portions by closure of the teeth during taking of a bite impression.

9. A disposable combination anteior bite registration and impression tray according to claim 5, wherein the open mesh material is a filmy net.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,583,170 1/1952 Getz 32-49 2,713,20 2 7/1955 Jones 32-19 3,045,349 7/ 1962 Mars 32-49 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGA'N, Examiner. 

1. A DISPOSABLE COMBINATION ANTERIOR BITE REGISTRATION AND IMPRESSION TRAY COMPRISING A ONE PIECE FRAME INCLUDING AN ELONGATED LABIAL WALL CURVILINEAR ABOUT AN AXIS OF CURVATURE EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE HEIGHT OF THE WALL AND HAVING ITS CONCAVE FACE FACING REARWARDLY, SAID WALL BEING OF SELF-SUPPORTING MATERIAL, AND HAVING REAR END PORTIONS WHICH ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID AXIS, SAID WALL BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE LATERALLY SO THAT ITS REAR PORTIONS CAN BE MOVED OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER, SELECTIVELY, AND THEREBY MADE TO CONFORM READILY TO THE 